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John Evans Study Committee Report

One hundred and fifty years ago, on Nov. 29, 1864, at an area known as Sand Creek,
near the present-day town of Eads, Colo., a group of U.S. militia attacked and killed
an estimated 160 women, children and elderly members of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes.
The massacre occurred when John Evans, founder of the University of Denver and of
Northwestern University in Illinois, was serving both as governor of the Colorado
Territory and as territorial superintendent of Indian affairs.

Over the past year, the University of Denver has been learning about and commemorating
this tragic event and its relationship—past, present and future—to the University.
To engage the University community, to promote whatever healing is possible and to
deepen our relationship with the Cheyenne and Arapaho descendants, we have sponsored
public lectures, a documentary screening, exhibits and special healing ceremonies
in addition to our annual Spring Powwow and Diversity Summit.

More than a year ago, a group of 11 DU faculty members organized the University of
Denver John Evans Study Committee and conducted an independent inquiry regarding Evans'
role in the massacre. Today, the committee released its report. (Northwestern issued its report regarding the massacre last spring; it is available
here.)

The DU report focuses on events directly leading up to the massacre at Sand Creek
and compares Evans' leadership as superintendent of Indian affairs with that of those
holding similar positions in Utah and Nevada. The DU report concludes that John Evans
was culpable for the Sand Creek Massacre. That is a quite different finding from what
appears in the Northwestern University report. There is much to be learned from reading
and discussing these reports together, and I encourage you to take the time to read
both.

The DU committee hopes its report will promote healing by understanding our founder's
role in this catastrophic event—thereby uniting us as a community and helping us to
forge new relationships to the past for the benefit of the public good.

The DU committee made a number of recommendations for the University's consideration.
Some of these recommendations are currently being pursued:

Create public forums to discuss the history of Sand Creek

Support the Sand Creek Massacre Spiritual Healing Run

Consult with tribes regarding memorial plans

As a community, we will work through the report and its recommendations, and we will
review ideas and suggestions from a variety of groups and individuals.

The Sand Creek Massacre is a tragic event in the history of the University, the city
of Denver and the state of Colorado. We embrace our obligation to learn about it,
to learn from it, and to carry those lessons forward as we continue to realize our
vision of being a great private university dedicated to the public good.